Nancy & Frank.
Main Street, Clarion PA, during the 1974 Autumn Leaf Festival. Photo by Tom DiStefano.
From a series of photographs of this annual celebration in this small Western Pennsylvania town. The background suggests a crowd, as does the look on the man's face - suggesting general revelry. The woman looks... alive, in the moment; maybe slightly surprised by the photographer (while the man seems unaware or oblivious).
The expression on the man's face at first seems as if he's calling out to someone out of the frame. But the more you look at it, it looks more like he wants to proclaim that life, at least in this moment, is good. He seems to understand that good is bad's fraternal twin. But it doesn't matter. Nothing lasts. Now is good.
The lines of the photo's composition arc upwards, from lower left to top right. It's that upward arc that seems, to me, so expressive of the early-mid-1970s.
From a series of photographs of this annual celebration in this small Western Pennsylvania town. The background suggests a crowd, as does the look on the man's face - suggesting general revelry. The woman looks... alive, in the moment; maybe slightly surprised by the photographer (while the man seems unaware or oblivious).
The expression on the man's face at first seems as if he's calling out to someone out of the frame. But the more you look at it, it looks more like he wants to proclaim that life, at least in this moment, is good. He seems to understand that good is bad's fraternal twin. But it doesn't matter. Nothing lasts. Now is good.
The lines of the photo's composition arc upwards, from lower left to top right. It's that upward arc that seems, to me, so expressive of the early-mid-1970s.
9 comments:
That's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. Thanks.
Thank you, anonymous.
And thank you, Stan. I don't have that picture. It brings back nice times. Sometimes when I think about Clarion, I remember me in the midst of my extended adolescence, trying to figure out how to get somewhere else, and, you know, the 70s. This picture reminds me that I had some fun and spent time with creative people I loved.
When my son was in middle and high school, he went to summer swim camps at Clarion--highly recommended by his swim coach--and it was interesting to go back as a swimmer's parent passing through to drop him off, knowing no one, and seeing this pretty little western PA town, surrounded by beautiful mountains. Less apocalyptic than I'd remembered.
I appreciate being reminded of good things.
I'm glad you didn't have that photo because I'd hoped it would be a pleasant surprise. Frank is in Pittsburgh last I heard and doing OK though he's always been the kind of troubled person that seems to make the best art. The photographer is still in Clarion; if you look up the Clarion News on line you'll see his byline (on all things related to sewage issues for some reason....). We're still very, very good friends. That photos from a bunch of ALF photos he took; they're all great but that one is special. I still get back every few years. Look up the PA Rangers on Youtube if you get a minute.
I almost forgot; for another set of Clarion memories, look up the post on this blog about Al Charley.
Bit lost on this one Stan..is it some kind of alumni thing? Sorry sealy.
No, not really. It is, I think, a terrific photograph. I'm sure every Eugene Smith or Robert Frank photo has a long story behind it as well, but it isn't necessary to know in order to appreciate the photo. Just take it at face value. if you don't particularly like it, no harm done.
Listening to Loudon Wainwright's Here Come the Choppers and found this verse, it's perfect.
A full moon's always helpful
And when the month is June
And you're in Casablanca
Drunk in Rick's saloon
And she walks in and she tells Sam
"Go on Sam, you can play it for me"
It had to be her
Who else could it be?
;)
I was just looking for this picture and reading the comments today and found the last one.
I'm honored. And flattered. And glad we are both able to be who and where we are today, yet acknowledging who else we've been and where we were. Don't know if that's trite or profound.
Not trite. :)
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